Welcome, all!... Cosplayers show off their expensive or labor-intensive costumes, taking photos with attendees and purchasing from booths. The annual Mobile Bay Anime Festival, hosted by Humble Entertainment, opened its doors for a one day event on April 19 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the Daphne Civic Center to celebrate pop culture and anime. “I’ve been going every year since 7th grade,” said Maeve Adkinson, Dr. Robotnik cosplayer. “I love meeting new people and buying fun art!”
Welcome, all!… Cosplayers show off their expensive or labor-intensive costumes, taking photos with attendees and purchasing from booths. The annual Mobile Bay Anime Festival, hosted by Humble Entertainment, opened its doors for a one day event on April 19 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the Daphne Civic Center to celebrate pop culture and anime. “I’ve been going every year since 7th grade,” said Maeve Adkinson, Dr. Robotnik cosplayer. “I love meeting new people and buying fun art!”
Jillian Surla
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Mobile Bay Anime Festival draws crowds of cosplayers, collectors

Byline photo of Jillian Surla
Jillian Surla, editor in chief
April 23, 2025
You Shall Pass!… Employees wrap wristbands on attendees to ensure a hassle-free re-entry. Food stations outside, such as Kona Ice and That’s My Dogg, tempted event-goers during the long day. (Jillian Surla)
Combat Ready… Gamers practice their Tekken 8 skills before the Battle for the Bracket tournament. The Super Smash Bros Ultimate tournament started at 12 p.m. with the Tekken 8 tournament following at 2 p.m.. (Jillian Surla)
Friends for Fright… Cosplayers dressed as Franken Stein and Crona from the anime Soul Eater look at a gift they received from a new friend. A Mirror Mage cosplayer from the game Genshin Impact passed around blue rose compact mirrors, stickers and tiny ducks to those she enjoyed the company of. (Jillian Surla)
Hungry Yet?… Attendees order fresh hot dogs from That’s My Dogg food truck. Individuals took their time enjoying their meals, sitting on benches outside. (Jillian Surla)
It’s-a-me!… Daphne librarians sit outside the main entrance, asking attendees trivia questions in exchange for goodies. Ranging from easy to expert, they offered questions on Pokemon, Spy x Family and Attack on Titan. (Jillian Surla)
For the Family… People of all ages look at Artist Alley booths, searching through various fandom trinkets and handmade crafts. Events like this festival boosted sales for small businesses, and gave business owners the opportunity to get advice from fellow creators. (Jillian Surla)
Left A-Jaw!… Vincent Tong, Genshin Impact character Kinich cosplayer, searches for the perfect hand-drawn sticker to gift to cosplayers he met at another convention. Tong later hosted a Genshin Impact Jeopardy game for a fun way to meet individuals who enjoy the game as much as he did. “I love cosplaying and hanging out with friends,” said Mabel Burch, Life is Strange cosplayer. “I also needed stickers and there is no better place to get them than at a con.” (Jillian Surla)
No Time like Game Time… Competitive gamers compete in the Battle for the Bracket Tekken 8 tournament. After hours of button-mashing, player Getter Emperor earned the first place title with four wins and one loss; the Super Smash Bros Ultimate tournament saw player Jibby’s success with seven wins and one loss. (Jillian Surla)
No Limits, Only Possibility… Sk8 the Infinity cosplayers commemorate their day with a selfie. The cosplayers went all out with styled wigs, one-to-one outfits and a skateboard carried in their hearts. “If someone enjoyed anime and cosplay, I would definitely recommend [they attend],” said attendee Isabel Spencer. “And even if they don’t watch anime, the costumes were so cool in and of themselves it would still be fun to check out!” (Jillian Surla)
Rough it up… Guest Retters Cosplay teaches attendees the tips and tricks of cosplay weathering at her panel. The event gave booths to cosplaying influencers and famous voice actors, such as Brittney Karbowski—known for voicing Rimuru Tempest and Black Star—and Tia Ballard—known for voicing Zero Two and Nene Hashiro. (Jillian Surla)
No Cure, Only Content… Alien Stage cosplayers of Ivan and Till make a Tik Tok video with a Hatsune Miku cosplayer. They laughed with each other over each misstep, but eventually created a synchronized dance that would make it to the Final Round. (Jillian Surla)
Food for Thought… Attendees take a moment to eat and chill out before continuing to browse the festivities. The event set up a booth for Little Caesars inside, making sure individuals had as many food options as possible. (Jillian Surla)
Family Fun!… Sisters walk to the event, dressed as Jean and Barbara, sisters from Genshin Impact. Groups often cosplayed from the same source media, enjoying the opportunity to spread their love of their favorite game, show or book with friends. (Jillian Surla)
D&Dedicated… A Dungeons & Dragons Guild Master sets up the character sheet of one of his players. Multiple D&D booths sat around the room, giving guests different session options. (Jillian Surla)
Figure that… A collector inspects an anime figure for wear and tear, as well as scaled pricing. This event gives both collectors and cosplayers a chance to share their love for their favorite media, and it will return once again in 2026 with open doors and more opportunities. (Jillian Surla)
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